Partition structure to separate articles



v 14, 1 67 J. GRASER 3,352 13- PARTI TION STRUCTURE TO SEPARATE ARTICLES Filed March 24, 1966 INVENTOR. EARL J GRASER [I6 7 BY $4M ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,352,473 PARTITION STRUCTURE TO SEPARATE ARTICLES Earl J. Graser, Monroe, La., assignor, by mesne assignments, to Olinkraft, Inc., West Monroe, La., a corporation of Delaware Filed Mar. 24, 1966, Ser. No. 537,210 3 Claims. (Cl. 229-15) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A single ply combined longitudinal and transverse partition structure where the transverse partitions are individually hinged and include structure to block partition rotation in a predetermined direction.

The present invention relates to packaging and relates in particular to a so-called wrap-around package of the type in which a single sheet of cellulosic material is formed into a sleeve encircling a number of like articles.

More particularly, the invention relates to a partition structure useful in a wrap-around package to separate the articles both longitudinally and transversely to provide cushioning between adjacent articles.

This invention is an improvement over the invention of a copending application Ser. No. 509,534, filed Nov. 24, 1965, by Earle C. Sherman, entitled Article.

The partition structure of the present invention is fabricated from a single blank of cellulosic board material in addition to the single blank of board material ordinarily utilized to over-wrap or encircle the articles packaged.

A partition structure including certain principles of the present invention may comprise a single blank of cellulosic board material having a main body defining a longitudinal partition, at least one pair of cut-outs defining a first flap and a second flap each separately hinged to the main body, said first flap being rotatable about its hinge to a position generally normal to the main body and projecting from a first side of the longitudinal partition, said second flap being rotatable about its hinge to a position generally normal to the main body and projecting from a second side of the longitudinal partition and tab means formed integral with and constituting a continuous part of one of said flaps operative to overlay a portion of the other flap when both said flaps are in the normal position.

Other features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from an examination of the succeeding specification and claims when read in conjunction with the appended drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a blank of cellulosic board material embracing the principles of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. 1 showing the transverse partitions rotated to the normal position relative to the main body or longitudinal partition;

FIG. 3 is an end view of FIG. 2 as viewed in the plane of the line 3-3 and in the direction shown by the arrows; and

FIG. 4 is a top view of the illustration of FIG. 2 showing the overlapping cooperation between mating transverse partitions or flaps.

Referring now to the drawings, the reference numeral designates a partition blank fabricated from a single sheet of cellulosic board material.

The blank is formed with discontinuous and continuous throughcuts illustrated by dotted lines and solid lines, respectively, to develop hinged cut-outs defining two pairs of cooperating flaps or transverse partitions; the remainder of the blank 10 defines a longitudinal partition 15.

A first pair of flaps indicated generally by the reference 3,352,473 Patented Nov. 14', 1967 numeral 11 include a flap 12 hinged to the longitudinal partition 15 at score line 13 and including an integrally connected locking tab 14. Note that the tab 14 and the flap 12 are of one-piece construction.

A second flap of this pair is identified by the reference numeral 16 and is hinged to the longitudinal partition by means of score line 17.

A second pair of flaps indicated generally by the reference numeral 18 include a first flap 19 hinged at score line 21 and a second flap 22 hinged at score line 23. In similar fashion, flap 22 is also formed with a tab 24 defining a one-piece assembly with flap 22.

FIGS. 2, 3 and 4 show the first and second pairs of flaps rotated to a position normal to the plane of the longitudinal partition wherein flaps 12 and 22 project from a first side of the longitudinal partition 15 and flaps 16 and 19 project from a second side of the longitudinal partition.

Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, note that the right terminus of tab 24 identified by the reference numeral 26 overlaps a portion of cooperating fiap 19. Pressure or thrust on flaps 19 and 22, in the direction shown by the arrows of FIG. 4, tends to rotate flaps 19 and 22 about their respective score lines. The tendency to rotate is blocked by interference between tab 24 and flap 19.

Stated otherwise, the terminus 26 of tab 24 overlays flap 19 sufficiently to block rotation in the direction shown by the arcuate arrows of FIG. 4.

Obviously, the degree of overlap between the terminal portion 26 of tab 24 relative to the cooperating flap 19 is controlled and is directly proportional to the spacing between hinge (score) lines as indicated by the dimension D in FIG. 1.

The cooperation between the tab 24 with mating flap 19 effects a flap lock in any given pair of flaps precluding collapse of the flaps relative to the longitudinal partition 15 when a thrust is applied to both flaps as evidenced by the arrows of FIG. 4.

Note further that the pair of flaps 11 are of opposite hand relative to the pair of flaps 18. This arrangement is devised for convenience in feeding the blank 10 into a packaging machine. The convenience arises from the fact in that on some occasions the blank 10 may be fed so that the edge 27 is the leading edge (as in FIG. 4), whereas in other occasions the blank may be so fed that the edge 28 is the leading edge.

In situations where the edge 28 is the leading edge and the direction of pressure represented by the arrows of FIG. 4 remains the same, flaps 12 and 16 will operate to block one another in the same fashion as described with respect to flaps 19 and 22.

It is anticipated that a number of embodiments of the present invention may be devised without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A combined longitudinal and transverse partition structure fabricated from a single blank of cellulosic board material and useful to provide a cushion between frangible articles packaged in groups comprising a main body portion defining a single ply longitudinal partition, a pair of cooperating flaps each separately connected to the main body by an individual hinge and each flap defining a transverse partition, a first fiap being rotatable about its hinge to a position generally normal to the main body and projecting from a first side of the longitudinal partition, a second flap being rotatable about its hinge to a position generally normal to the main body and projecting from a second side of the longitudinal partition, tab means formed integrally with and constituting a continuous part of one of the flaps and defining a cutout from the other flap operative when both said flaps are in the normal position to overlay a portion of the other flap efi'ective. to block rotation of both saidflaps inra predetermined direction.

2. The partition structure of claim 1 in which the transverse partition comprises two pairs of cooperating flaps,

. one pair of cooperating flaps being ofopposite hand relative to the other pair of flaps.

3. In a partition structure for cushioning frangible articles disposed in groups in side by side relationship comprising a single blank of cellulosic board material having a body portion defining a single ply longitudinal partition, at least one pair of cut-outs, defining one pair of flaps cut from said body portion each flap being separately hinged to the body portion along individual score lines, one flap being formed with a locking tab, said one flap projecting from one side of its individual score line and said locking tab projecting from the opposite side thereof, said flaps being operable to rotate to positions generally normal to the plane of the body portion so that one flap of each pair, projects oppositely from the 9 other, said locking tab being operative when said flaps are in the normal position to overlay the other flap to block 5 rotation of both flaps each in a given direction.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 15 JOSEPH R. LECLAIR, Primary Examiner.

DAVIS T. MOORHEAD, Examiner. 

1. A COMBINED LONGITUDINAL AND TRANSVERSE PARTITION STRUCTURE FABRICATED FROM A SINGLE BLANK CELLULOSIC BOARD MATERIAL AND USEFUL TO PROVIDE A CUSHION BETWEEN FRANGIBLE ARTICLES PACKAGED IN GROUPS COMPRISING A MAIN BODY PORTION DEFINING A SINGLE PLY LONGITUDINAL PARTITION, A PAIR OF COOPERATING FLAPS EACH SEPARATLEY CONNECTED TO THE MAIN BODY BY AN INDIVIDUAL HINGE AND EACH FLAP DEFINING A TRANSVERSE PARTITION, A FIRST FLAP BEING ROTATABLE ABOUT ITS HINGE TO A POSITION GENERALLY NORMAL TO THE MAIN BODY AND PROJECTING FROM A FIRST SIDE OF THE LONGITUDINAL PARTITION, A SECOND FLAP BEING ROTATABLE ABOUT ITS HINGE TO A POSITION GENERALLY NORMAL TO THE MAIN BODY AND PROJECTING FROM A SECOND SIDE OF THE LONGITUDINAL PARTITION, TAB MEANS FORMED INTEGRALLY WITH AND CONSTITUTING A CONTINUOUS PART OF ONE OF THE FLAPS AND DEFINING A CUTOUT FROM THE OTHER FLAP OPERATIVE WHEN BOTH SAID FLAPS ARE IN THE NORMAL POSITION TO OVERLAY A PORTION OF THE OTHER FLAP EFFECTIVE TO BLOCK ROTATION OF BOTH SAID FLAPS IN A PREDETERMINED DIRECTION. 